Dwight



(No Model.)

D. G. OLAPP.

BUREAU.

Patented Oct., 9, 1888.

WITNESSES a 6, z 7

UNTTEE STATES PATENT @FFICE.

D\VIGHT O. OLAPI, OF OVVOSSO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DAVID M. ESTEY, OF SAME PLACE.

BUREAU.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 390,840, dated October 9, 1888.

Application filed May 16, 1888. Serial No. 274,040. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DWIGHT O. OLAPP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Owosso, in the county of Shiawassee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bureaus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to bureaus, washstands, and other articles of cabinet furniture provided with sliding drawers.

The object is to improve a bureau for which two Letters Patent of the United States were granted me, one bearing date April 17, 1888, and numbered 381,337, and the other April 24,1888, and numbered 381,760, by constructing the drawer in such a manner that it will require no fitting; but it may be made smaller than the opening designed for it in the bureau and at the same time fit and slide therein, while it will admit of any shrinking or warping of. the surrounding parts of the bureau without binding or clamping the drawer, so as to make it difficult to open or close.

With these objects in view the invention consists in a drawer for bureaus, wash-stands, and other articles of cabinet ware the sides of which are dropped back from the ends of the drawer,so as to leave a shoulder projecting on each side, the guides against which the said drawer works being set in and beyond the face of the pilaster,so as to prevent any binding of the drawer when once put together and placed in position.

Furthermore, the invention consists in the various novel details of construction, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

Heretofore sliding drawers have been constructed to fit snugly in the opening of the bureau or other piece of furniture, so that when the same is closed there will be but little space between the edges of the drawers and the pilaster. It has been found that should the article of furniture be placed in a damp room the wood of the drawer would warp or swell, and thus render it difficult to open the same.

It is the object of this invention to overcome these difficulties by constructing the drawer much smaller than the openingin the bureau,

2 is a detail view of the drawer.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the bureau, which is of ordinary construction and is provided with the guides a, on which the drawers work. These drawers work against spring-cushions a, in the same manner as shown and described in the other applications, only in those the drawers are shown as of ordinary construction that is, occupying the entire space in the opening in which they move.

B designates the drawer, the sides I) of which are dropped back from the outer edge,so as to form shoulders I) on the outer ends of the drawer. The opening 0, in which the drawer tits, is made of the same size as the outer face of the drawer, and the spring-cushions a extend out a sufficient distance to take up the difference in the width between the drawer and the opening to cause the same to fit and slide smoothly in the' bureau.

In order to enable the drawer to readily enter the large opening, the inner portion of each of the shoulders bis inclined or beveled, whereby when either shoulder strikes against the pilaster the drawer is forced over to the other side sufficiently to permit the drawer to enter the opening. In this manner the drawer can enter the opening until the outer surface of the drawer is flush or even with the outer surface of the bureau, thus making a neat finish and one that will always be the same whether the drawer be swelled or not. Thus it will be seen that should the drawer warp to any extent it will simply press the spring-cushion in and allow the drawer to work easily, and that the shoulders I) will close up the entire opening in which the drawer works and thus make it appear as though the bureau were furnished with drawers of ordinary construction. An-

Ice

other important feature gained by this construction is that the edge of the pilaster is protected against injury, as by being ground off when the drawer becomes worn loose from wear.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The hereindescribed drawer, the sides of which are dropped back from the outer edge to form shoulders on the outer ends of the drawer, each extending beyond the sides of the drawer, and the inner portions of the shoulders being inclined or beveled, whereby the opening in the bureau may be larger than the drawer and the drawer may present the same appearance as though it occupied the entire space, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with a bureau having 1 openings for the reception of the drawers, of a series of drawers in the openings, each drawer being smaller than the space within the bureau and having its sides dropped back from the outer edge to form shoulders, which extend beyond the sides of the drawer and have their inner portions inclined or beveled, whereby the drawer apparently fills the entire space of the opening in the bureau and presents aneat appearance, substantially as and for the pun pose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto al'lixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DWIGHT G. OLAPP.

\Vitnesscs:

E. L. BREWER, Noun E. BREWER. 

